Everyday Until We Die
by Loverofgoodstories27
Summary: LeeAnn, or Lee, has never fit in since she moved to La Push. Her only friend being Seth. She pushes herself through AP and online classes to get into Yale. Will she choose Yale or someone she's not sure about her feelings for?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This was a quickly written story, so I apologize any spelling or grammar errors. I thought this was good, short story, maybe the best I've written. I don't know. I guess I'm just saying that because I wrote it, but I hope you enjoy. Review, and I don't own Paul or the wolves, wish I did, but I don't**

(CHAPTER 1)

"Outta my way, hoquat!" I heard before I was pushed to the linoleum tile. My binder and books fell to the ground and slid across the floor. I huffed, crawled around to pick them up, and walked a few more feet to my locker. I looked at my AP Chem, AP English, AP US History, and Pre-Calculus books. I pulled the English, History, and Calculus books out and put them in my backpack, and grabbed my binders for each in my hands before closing my locker.

I walked out to the student parking, threw my binders and backpack into the passenger seat of '67 Camaro, and climbed into the driver seat. My car had been my dad's and he had trusted me with it to drive as my own. I started it up, and pulled out, seeing the 'La Push Gang' hanging out by Paul Lahote and Jared Thail's cars, all seeming to be watching me as I drove past them.

Once I got home, I started on my English homework, then went to Calculus, and finished with History before going to my laptop and logging onto my online classes, Forensic Science and Government and Economics. I wanted to go into Criminology once I graduated, so I decided to join an online class to get started on learning everything.

I spent two hours working on that stuff, lecture notes, 'class' work, and homework. Once I finished, I saw it was almost seven and my shift at the diner on the reservation started soon. I changed shirts, grabbed a bite to eat, my purse, and my apron and name tag before I walked outside and drove the couple miles to the diner. I pulled around back, put my apron on, and walked around to the front.

I looked at the clock and saw it was exactly seven and hurried to clock-in. "LeAnn! I didn't think you worked tonight." I turned my head and saw Seth Clearwater, he being obligated to come in and work, for free no less, since his mom owned the diner. "Ya, I do. Must have the days mixed up, Mr. Clearwater." I answered, smiling as I went around and started clearing and wiping down tables.

At eight, I was standing behind the counter, holding back a yawn, which managed to slip out. "You okay?" I saw Seth walking out from the kitchen. "Just tired." I replied, ringing up a customer. "Thanks, have a nice night." I said, handing them their receipt and change. "How much are you pushing yourself, Lee?" He asked. "I'm not pushing myself, Seth! I'm perfectly fine." I replied, ringing up another customer.

"I saw you with all those books. Were they all homework?" He asked. "Ya, that's expected with AP classes Seth." I replied, wiping down the counter and pouring one person more coffee. "Lee, that's three AP classes, your Pre-Cal class. Are you still taking that class on the internet too?" He asked, stopping me from working. "Yes, I am. And you can't stop me. Seth, you can't worry about everything, you can't take care of everyone. If I want to do this, then I'm gonna do it. I'm working like this so I don't have to work so hard when I leave for college. The AP classes, taking a class online to get ready for my actual classes. I'm doing this, because it's my life." I said, pushing past him to fill orders once I saw a waitress clock-out.

I grabbed an order pad and looked at the new people at a table. My life sucks, officially of now. Paul, Jared, Embry, and Jacob were sitting at a booth with their girlfriends. The girlfriends who push me around, pick on me, and call me names all the time. I huffed, knew I had to deal so I got my pay check, and walked over.

"What can I get you?" I asked kindly. Paul's girlfriend flipped her badly dyed blonde hair over her shoulder. "A new waitress. I already have to see you at school, why would I want to when I'm wanting to eat something and not puke." She answered, her three friends laughing. I rolled my eyes. "Sorry, only two people are on the clock, me and Seth, and he's the one cooking the food right now." I replied, smiling. "Now what can I get you?" I asked again, and little snippy this time.

As the girls looked at the menus I saw the guys trying to keep from laughing. What at, I don't know and don't really care or want to know. "What has no fat, calories, or sugar?" Jared's girlfriend asked. I pretended to think for a minute. "A plate, cup. Course you'd probably considered those a starch. Either that or water." I replied, like they asked a stupid question.

"We'll have a diet coke and a salad." Jake's girlfriend said, sliding her menu away from her. I assume so I 'didn't come too close to touching her.' I wrote down their orders, then moved to the guys. "What about you guys?" I asked. "Just tell Seth the regular for us." Jacob replied kindly, handing me the menus off the table. "Thanks. I'll be right back with the drinks." I replied before walking away.

"Seth, need four salads, and a regular for Jacob, Paul, Embry, and Jared. What do they get to drink?" I asked him after telling the orders. "Coke. But keep it coming." He answered before starting on the salads first. I grabbed a tray, got four diet cokes, and four regular cokes. I balanced the tray on my hand and walked over to the table.

"Four diet cokes, and four regular cokes." I said as I placed the drink in front of the right person. I walked back behind the counter as my phone rang. "Hello?" I asked as I moved back out to clear off empty tables. "Hi, sweetie. You still on your shift?" My mom asked. "Ya, I have about," I looked up at the clock. "Another half an hour. It's 'til ten tonight." I replied, moving to the next table.

"Well, I was calling to say that I found something in the mail for you." "I never checked it. I wanted to get finished with my homework and other classes." I replied as I carried the dirty dishes to the back and then went back and wiped the tables down. "It's a few things actually. They're from Johns Hopkins, Salem State, and Yale." She told me.

I stopped wiping the tables and stood up straight. "Open them, do, JH, SS, then Yale." I explained, standing still as I heard paper tearing and sliding out.

"Johns Hopkins, accepted!" She read, keeping from squealing like I was. "Salem State, accepted!" Happier than the first. "And Yale." She said seeming almost scared all of a sudden. My mind started racing. I didn't get in. I wouldn't be able to go to the same college as my dad, like I always wanted. All the work I'd done hadn't gotten me into the one college I'd wanted the most. "We hereby inform you that…..honey! You got accepted! Sweetheart, this is amazing!" My mom screamed in the phone. I dropped my hand away from my ear, not able to process this. I got in. I was accepted. I got into Yale. I was accepted to Yale University! "Mom, I'll see you when I get home. I have to finish my shift." I said, feeling tears of happiness pricking my eyes.

I hung up the phone before she could reply. I finished wiping down the tables just in time for all the food to be ready. I wiped my eyes and grabbed a tray, filled it with plates, and walked with Seth to the only filled table in the diner. "Okay, four salads. Four steaks with mashed potatoes, two with carrots, one with green beans, and one with beans." I said as I handed out the salads and Seth handled the guy's plates.

I wiped my eyes and turned. "Lee, you okay?" I heard Seth ask. I sniffed and turned back around. "Fine, everything is perfect." I answered, smiling. "I heard you talking to your mom, what'd she say?" He asked again. "I, aah, got my acceptance letters in the mail. I never checked earlier before I left." I replied. "And?" He asked, obviously wanting to know what the letters said.

"I got into Johns Hopkins and Salem State." I said. "Lee…" Seth said, knowing I had been talking about Yale for months. I smiled before finishing. "And Yale." I said, laughing. "Lee, that's amazing!" He said, hugging me. "Why are you getting acceptance letters now? You still have another year of high school." Embry's girlfriend said like everything I was saying was wrong. "I'm graduating a year early." I replied, knowing practically half the school knew since the beginning of the year.

"Ease up on the cramming though. I'm surprised you haven't quit because you were exhausted." Seth told me. I rolled my eyes. "I'm gonna have to. Because if I get the scores I want on my AP tests, I won't have any freshman classes." I replied, smiling happily. "I forgot about that." Seth said, remembering why I was taking the AP classes in the first place. "Duh." I said, laughing before walking and picking up the empty coffee cup and the money the guy left for his drinks. I put the cash in the register, then wiped the counters down one last time, not being able to stop smiling the whole time.

I pulled my phone out and started playing the Burlesque soundtrack and Express started playing through my earbuds.. "It's a cold and crazy world that's ragin' outside; Well baby me and all my girls are bringin' on the fire; Show a little leg, gotta shimmy your chest; It's a life, it's a style, it's a need, it's Burlesque." I started singing as I wiped down the tables, made sure the coffee maker was ready for in the morning, checked the money in the register, and checked salt, pepper, and sugar shakers.

*Across the diner*

"Seth, what's her story?" Jake asked the youngest pack member. "Aah, moved here when she was fourteen. Her dad died about a year ago and ever since she's pushed herself into the AP classes, working here, I think even a couple classes online. Everyday she's here at five when my mom opens and goes to school. Comes home, and then comes here in the evening for her shift." Seth replied.

Paul, discreetly, looked over Lee. He noticed under the tank top and jeans…..she was hot! He saw three holes in each ear, and one in her cartilage, several bracelets on her arm and a couple rings on her fingers. As she carried the shakers back to the tables, he noticed ink on her shoulder blade. As she walked back to the counter, he saw tags hanging from around her neck.

"That's crazy. Does she ever take a break? Have any fun at all?" Embry asked as the song changed again. "I have no idea, but I don't think so." Seth answered. "Why do you guys care? She's a nobody. So what if her dad died?" Paul's girlfriend said loud enough for Lee to hear.

She stopped working and turned her head before stomping over to the table, leaning on her hands across from Paul's girlfriend. "You think my father dying is nothing?" Lee asked the girl across from her. Paul's girlfriend gave her an 'obviously' look. "We'll look at these." Lee said, holding out the tags around her neck. "My father served three times. To protect your selfish and insecure ass. He served once, went to college, couldn't get a job, served again. Came home from the time I was eight until I was sixteen. Four months after my birthday, he gets shipped out again. Three months later, after we got a letter from him for my mom's birthday, we're told he was killed. Ever since then, me and my mom have worked our asses off just to stay in our house, for me to go to school. What have you had to deal with? Screwing up a dye job, breaking a nail, not getting laid by a guy. Which one of us is more selfish?" Lee told the girl sitting next to Paul, who was shocked by what Lee had said to her.

Lee stood up and as she untied her apron, she told Seth, "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, Seth." Before walking into the back, clocking out, and walking back with her purse. She walked out the door and disappeared around back. The guys in the pack heard a car start up, and pull around front before they saw the tail lights of Lee's car, before pulling out onto the road.

"Damn." Jared said, grinning at the sight of the reservation hoquat defending herself to possibly the most popular girl on the reservation.

*Lee*

The next morning, I get to the diner at five thirty to make sure everything is ready to open at six. I walked back to the kitchen and saw some dishes were left dirty and set to cleaning them before opening. I plugged my ear buds in and was singing while I worked on the dirty plates and cups.

Paul and Seth walked into the diner and heard someone singing in the kitchen. Seth looked into the back and saw Lee finishing the last of the dishes from last night. "You've gotta talk to her sometime Paul. You heard her last night. She only has another six months before she's gone for good." Seth told the older pack brother. "I know! I just don't think she'd want to talk to me. Because, I kinda instigated all the shit people give her at school." Paul replied, hanging his head. "Dude, you've got to at least try!" Seth yelled at him.

As I finished the last of the dishes, something was telling me someone was here. I finished the last plate, dried my hands, and pulled my ear buds out as I walked out to the front. I was right. "Hay, Seth." I said when I saw him. "What are you guys doing here?" I asked when I saw Paul with him. "Hiding." Seth replied, smiling. "From who?" I asked again. "Jessica. Ended it with her, things were getting old." Paul replied with a huff. "Now who are you going to the dance with? You couldn't wait until tonight after the dance?" I asked him. "I'm just goin' stag." He replied, waving the second question off.

"You still going, Lee?" Seth asked me as I turned the machines on and switched the coffee maker on to start the coffee. "Ya, have to. Yearbook." I replied, making sure the napkins dispensers and salt, pepper, and sugar shakers were full.

"When'd you get the tattoo?" I heard Paul ask as I was walking around the diner. "Birthday present to myself." I replied vaguely. "What it is?" He asked again, pushing. I sighed and walked over and let him see my shoulder. I had it memorized before I even got it tattooed there.

_**Love you, coming home soon,**_

_**Dad**_

It was on the letter my dad sent with the one for my mom's birthday. The last thing I heard from him. I opened my eyes without realizing I had closed them, feeling tears pricking the corners. "I have to go." I said before I left the diner and sped off in my car.

'_I promise I'll be home as soon as possible. Tell your mom I love her. And I love you too, Lee.' Dad said, smiling at me through the video chat. 'I will, love you too. I'll talk to you soon.' I replied, waving before the connection was cut off._

I slammed the brakes on and the car skidded to stop, the tires screeching. That had been the last time I saw my father before we got the letter, and then were informed he had been killed. I looked out at the road in front of me, tears blurring my vision. I was suddenly angry, and slammed my fists against the steering wheel.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Link for the banner for the story is on my profile. **

(CHAPTER 2)

Once I calmed down, I sped to First Beach and walked out onto the beach, watching the waves crash against the shore. As I watched the sun slowly rising above the horizon, I felt the tears I had been holding back for so long spill from my eyes. "Why did you leave me daddy? I needed you." I said, looking at the sun. "I wish you were here." I muttered, burying my face in my arms.

After a minute I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders, pulling me to a warm chest. I looked up and pushed away, standing to my feet. "What are you doing here Paul?" I asked, wiping my cheeks. "Seth had to watch the diner, he wanted me to make sure you were okay." He replied, no sound of humor, anger, or a teasing tone in his voice.

"Well you can report back that I'm going home." I told him, making my way up the beach back to my car. "Lee. Wait." I stopped before opening the driver door. "Why should I?" I asked, my voice quivering. "Lee, if this is about what everyone says at school, I'm sorry. I say stuff and people take it out of proportion, twist it." He explained.

"How do you explain why people think I'm a slut? If so, please elaborate!" I screamed, turning around.

"I was just asking the guys about you one day when you first came to the high school. I just said that you probably had guys lining up at your door, I thought you were hot." He explained. "Great. Anything those bimbos you guys date hear they turn into something negative. Now the entire school thinks I have an STD because you couldn't keep quiet in front of your girlfriend." I said, opening the car door.

"Lee, will you let me explain." He said, reaching in the window and taking my keys. "What is left to explain?" I asked, feeling the tears building up again. "I'm sorry I pissed Jessica off and made her make stuff up about you. It's completely fifth grade." He said, kneeling lower too look at me clearly. "Ya, it is." I said, laughing and sniffing the tears away. "But I mean it, Lee. Even if we were only freshman…." He cut himself off. "Damn it. Why is it so hard to say this?" He asked himself, grabbing his hair.

"I really liked you, Lee. Then Seth told me the classes you were in, and I liked you even more." He said in a near whisper. "Why, because the smarter girls are harder to get into bed?" I asked, still pissed at him. "Damn it, Lee! No. Lee, even if you don't believe me, I'm telling you that I've never slept with more than one girl." I looked at him like he had gone mental. "I liked you because you were smart and you didn't give a shit what other people thought of you. I told Jake that you probably had guys lining up to DATE you, then he told me how you weren't dating anybody and I thought I had a chance. But then Jessica spread the rumor and that I had started it and then you hated me. At that point, I just wanted you to stop hating me." He said, looking to be nearly in tears himself.

"That's all true?" I asked, looking him in the eyes. "Yes. I don't know why, but other than the guys, you're the only one I don't feel the need to lie to." Paul told me without hesitating once. I looked him in the eyes and could feel that he was telling the truth. "I-I believe you." I replied.

He smiled so bright and so easily it looked like a real smile, and not a fake one like I saw most of the time at school or at the diner. "Good. Now, would you like to go to the dance with me tonight? I know it's last minute." He asked, smiling brighter. I thought for a minute. "Sure." I said, nodding happily. "I'll come by at eight?" He asked, holding my keys out in his large hand. "Sounds good." I replied, taking the keys and cranking the car, pulling out when he stepped back from the door.

I started getting ready at around six. I pulled out my curling iron and curled the ends of my layered 'gold' hair, as my mom called it, pulling it half up-half down once it was curled. I put grey eye shadow and made a smoky effect on my eye lids and applied black liquid eyeliner, finishing my make-up. Since my hair was a little thick, it was 7:30 before I got to putting on my dress. I pulled the dress out of the bag and slipped into it, zipping the side up easily. I inspected myself in the mirror in my room. The dress was black, almost knee length and was one shoulder with a long sleeve, leaving my other shoulder bare.

I put in my three studs, all attached with a chain and a chain attached to the ring that went through my cartilage in one ear. I grabbed my phone, lip gloss, and license since it was habit and put them in my clutch. I carried my heels downstairs, seeing I had ten minutes left until Paul was picking me up. I wrote my mom a note, left it on the kitchen table, and slipped my heels on, smiling when I grew a couple inches wearing them.

I grabbed my purse off the coffee table as the doorbell rang. I opened the door and saw Paul in black slacks and jacket with a white shirt, left unbuttoned with no tie. I glanced down and smiled when I saw he had his black Nikes on instead of dress shoes. "Hay." I said. "You look amazing." He said, smiling brightly. I now realized I was probably the only one to see it. "You look quite nice yourself." I replied as I closed the front door and following him to his truck, seeing someone in the cab already. "Figured you'd be a little more comfortable if Seth rode too." Paul said, answering my unasked question. "You figured right." I replied after he opened the door for me. "Thanks." I said before he closed the door, walking around and climbing in the driver side.

"Lee! You look beautiful." Seth told me, smiling and hugging me. "Thanks Seth." I said, hugging him in return. "Anything particular you wanna listen to?" Seth asked, reaching for the stereo knobs. "What CDs are there?" I asked, grabbing the case in the dash. I flipped through the CDs and saw that Paul had some really good music, stuff I have heard before and liked!

I smiled as I pulled a disc out of the case, slipping it into the player, skipping to the right song. When Paul heard the guitar at the beginning he looked at me. "You like this?" He asked, smiling, glancing between me and the road. "Hell ya! I love Nickelback!" I said before the lyrics started. 'Burn it to the Ground' began playing and I started singing the lyrics, the guys soon singing with me.

The song ended as we pulled up to the high school. I pulled the CD out and put it back in the case as Paul pulled the key out of the ignition. Before I could open the door, Paul was out, with my door open, a hand out to help me out of the truck. I smiled and took it, the gravel crunching under my heels. "Thank you." I said. "I'm gonna go grab the camera from Davison." I told them before walking ahead to the dark side of the high school. I got the large Canon camera from the teacher in charge of the yearbook and walked back to the gym entrance, surprised to see Paul still waiting, talking to Jake, Jared, and Embry. Jake I could talk to easily, it was Jared and Embry I had a problem with sometimes.

I took a deep breath and walked up to them. "You waited for me?" I asked Paul, still surprised he hadn't just gone inside. "Course, you're my date." He said wrapping an arm around my waist that I left there, feeling comfortable with it there for some reason. I caught Jake give Embry and Jared a knowing glance before looking to me.

"You look good Lee. Never seen you in a dress." Jake said, smiling. "I never had a reason to come to these things. This year the incentive was yearbook that first got me, then Paul asked me." I replied. "Never seen you any taller than, what? Five, two?" Jake asked, squinting, trying to figure out how tall I normally am. "Five, four, thank you very much. And there are a lot of things you'll probably see this year, especially with me leaving in the spring for Yale." I answered. "I almost forgot about that, congrats by the way." Jake told me, smiling wider. "Ya, not many people get out of the reservation for a college in state, let alone across the country. You may have started something." Embry said, chuckling. "It surprised me when my mom told me. I actually got into three colleges back east. Johns Hopkins, Salem State, and Yale. But I've always wanted to go to Yale. It's where my dad went, and his dad. It's kind of a family tradition in a way. Cause my mom went to Brown, but her job isn't picking up like she'd hoped, especially after dad died." I replied, breathing deeply.

"It's still cool, explains the AP classes. Smart parents, smart kid." Jared told me. "I guess your right." I replied, smiling. "Well, I should probably get inside before Davison has my head." I said, mimicking decapitation with my free hand. "I'll see you inside." Paul told me before I walked into the gym.

*Outside*

Embry, Jared, and Jake looked at Paul. "Dude?" Jared said for the other two and himself. "What?" Paul asked, not knowing what they were asking about. "She leaves in the spring! We knew she was graduating early, but we heard nothing that she was leaving for college right away. You have until May to tell her about the imprint and convince her to stay." Jared told his best friend.

"I know that!" Paul yelled in return. "Hay, go easy. He's trying the best he can. We had patrol this afternoon and she just started trusting him today. He's doing better than we all expected." Jake said, defending Paul. "Why didn't she trust you before?" Embry asked in confusion. "She thought I was the one that started all the rumors about 'er. Especially the one about her sleeping with all the guys." Paul answered. "Don't tell me, Jessica?" Jake asked. "Yep." Paul replied, scratching his head.

"Explain." Jared said to the two. "I told Jake back out freshman year that I liked Lee when I first saw her and I told Jake that she probably had guys lining up to date her. Jessica twisted it and told everybody I said all the guys were lining up to sleep with her." Paul replied, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Dude, that sucks. Her going from hating you to coming to the dance with you, that's better than I can do." Embry said, chuckling at the last part along with the other three. "Speaking of Jessica, who'd she come with? Any ideas?" Embry asked, looking around for the bottle blonde. "No. And I really don't care. Speaking of dates, I'm gonna go find mine." Paul said, smiling before walking into the gym to find Lee.

*Lee*

I took probably over two hundred pictures in the first two hours and still had two hours left. I found Mrs. Davison and told her that I had plenty and she smiled, telling me to have fun the rest of the night.

I then walked around, looking for Paul. He had found me once he came in, but went to find Seth after about twenty minutes. I found him, which wasn't hard with how tall he was. I was about to walk up behind him when I saw Jessica standing in front of him, causing me to stop and listen the best I could.

"So how about we get out of here? I saw you came with the loser." Jessica asked him, stepping closer and pushing her boobs, barely covered in her red dress that looked four sizes too small, against his chest. "Sure…" I couldn't listen to any more. I felt the tear well up in my eyes as I pushed past them and out the doors. I passed Seth before I got to the door.

"Lee! What's wrong? What did Paul do?" He asked, holding my shoulders. "Just take me home, please." I begged him, tears flowing down my cheeks. "Okay, Lee. Let's go." He said, hugging me to his side as he led me outside.

I just barely heard Paul yelling my name as Seth tapped Jake on the shoulder, told him I wanted to leave, and Jake walked with us to his Rabbit. "Lee! What happened?" I heard Paul yell as he ran up to us. I buried my face in Seth's jacket, not wanting to even look at him.

I felt Seth move me and I got in the back seat with Seth, watching Jake yell at Paul, but not hearing a word of it. I knew Jake was beyond pissed when he swung a fist, hitting Paul in the nose and knocking him to the ground. Jake climbed in the driver seat and pulled out, leaving Paul in the parking lot in whatever condition Jake put him in with that one, hard punch.


	3. Chapter 3

(CHAPTER 3)

Jake stopped the car in front of my house and he and Seth both walked me inside. Before we got to the door, Seth picked me up bridal style and walked me inside, I assumed Jake pulling my heels off before Seth sat down on the couch with me in his lap. "Why do I always get hurt?" I mumbled into his chest. "I don't know Lee, but I won't let it happen again. I promise." He told me, rubbing my shoulder as I drifted asleep.

*Pack*

Once Lee was asleep on the couch, Seth and Jake both pulled off their dress clothes and phased, immediately knowing Paul was phased as well. "Where is she?" Paul asked once Jake and Seth found him by the cliffs. "You don't nee to know, Paul. She's away from you. That's all that matters." Seth growled back, beyond angry that Paul had hurt Lee, now numerous times.

"What did I do to piss you two off?" Paul asked, confused. "You don't even realize what you did! That's what makes it worse!" Seth yelled. "Seth, we don't need Sam involved in this." Jake warned the youngest. "She just barely told us what happened. She heard Jessica ask if you wanted to leave with her. Lee heard you tell her yes and wanted to leave." Jake explained to the oldest of the three as calm as possible.

"What?! She didn't hear all of what I said. I told her, 'Sure, but only when the world is ending, but maybe not even then.' I told her that right before Lee walked past us." Paul told them. "Why do I not believe you?" Seth snapped. "Look! It's the truth." Paul yelled in reply.

"He's telling the truth Seth." Jake told the youngest, having already looked at Paul's mind. "I don't completely believe you. But how do you expect Lee to believe him?" Seth asked Jake. "I don't know." Jake said, his head hanging even in wolf form. "I guess you'll just have to get her to trust you again. That's probably the only thing left to do." Jake told Paul. "How? I practically told her everything I could just to get her to trust me the first time." Paul yelled. "What could I say to get her to trust me again?" He said sadly, his head hanging, letting a whine out.

"I don't know, Paul. Just do the best you can, but do it as fast as you can." Jake told him, indirectly reminding him, again, that Lee was leaving in the spring to head east. "I know. I'll try my best. Seth, I wouldn't intentionally hurt her. I only imprinted on her yesterday, but I already feel like I'm dying on the inside. I feel like she's all I have left and now she hates me." Paul told the youngest before running off and phasing out.

*Lee*

I woke up the next morning, still on the couch and in my dress. I stood up and went up stairs to take a shower. I looked in the mirror and saw my dark eye shadow that had been under my eyes left trails when I started crying. I pulled my hair out of the holder, heated the water in the shower up, undressed, and climbed in. I nearly peeled my skin off trying to scrub the remaining feelings of last night off my body.

When I finished, my body was red and raw from how hard I had scrubbed my body. I wrapped my towel around my body and went to my room and got dressed, then wrapped my hair in the towel to dry it. When the towel was soaked and my hair was barely damp, I went downstairs and started making something to eat, but realized I wasn't hungry, so I just sat in front of the TV, not really watching what was on.

I finally decided to grab some shoes and walk to the cliffs that Seth had told me he liked to dive off of with the other guys. I grabbed a jacket and got to the top of the cliff after twenty minutes of walking.

I sat down on the edge and looked out at the horizon. "I don't understand why my life has been son terrible, dad. It's like everything has been down hill since you left. Except for Yale. At least I have that to look forward to." I said to the wind. "I miss you so much, daddy." I said. I looked around me and stood up when I saw a familiar tree.

I ran my finger tips across the carving in the bark. 'DK' a heart below it and 'LK' below that. David Kennedy loves LeAnn Kennedy. I placed my forehead against the rough bark, and whispered. "I love you too, dad." Letting the silent tears out.

Monday at school, I felt miserable. Every corner I turned, Paul was there. Every hall I walked down, Paul was there. I couldn't avoid him when I wanted to the most. I tried to tell myself I was somewhat okay during my classes. It worked, but when I got to my shift at the diner, I felt dead to the world. I just followed the motions without a thought, but didn't have any extra spirit to enjoy it like I normally did.

After two weeks of this routine, Seth finally stopped me before I got on my shift at the diner on a Saturday. "Lee, come on. I want you to hang out with me today. My mom and Leah can cover for us." He told me, leading me out the door. "Where are we going?" I asked when he started walking me down the road. "To Sam and Emily's. I figured you could use some time out of the normal routine. Hang out with another girl besides talking to Leah at the diner." He answered. After a few minutes of walking, Seth turned me down a dirt driveway that led to a small house that looked fitting for La Push.

"Yo, Sam! Emily!" Seth yelled, leading me in the front door. "Seth! Is this Lee, who you're always talking about?" A woman asks, walking out of the kitchen. I noticed the right side of her face covered in scars, but they didn't take away anything from her natural born beauty or happy spirit. "Hi." I said, trying to be nice. "Seth told me what happened a couple weeks ago. After today, you won't even remember it." Emily said, leading me to the kitchen.

"How would you like to help me make some cookies for Sam and the boys?" She asked me. I nodded and felt a small smile appear on my face. "Do you and Sam have any kids?" I asked her s she handed me some cookie dough to roll out. "Oh! No, not yet. We're only engaged." She replied. "Oh! I'm sorry. I guess you mean Embry and Seth, those boys?" I asked. "Yep. Unfortunately, I claim them. Sam is like a father to all of them." Emily explained. "So you're the mom, always cooking." I said, laughing for the first time in weeks. "All the time. But I don't mind. It keeps me busy." She told me, smiling.

"I bet. I've seen Seth at lunch, he eats enough food for me to last almost three days." I told her, causing her to laugh. "I know that feeling." She said, placing some cookies on the sheet.

After a few minutes of silence she spoke again. "Lee, Paul may seem like a bad guy, but I've seen a lot of him over the past year and he's nothing like I've heard he acts at school." Emily told me kindly. "I wish I could believe you, Emily." I replied, blinking away tears.

"Lee." She said, grabbing my shoulders and turning me to face her. "Paul can be difficult, I know he can be. But if he hurts someone, it's never intentional unless he's protecting someone he loves very much. The younger boys, Collin and Brady, they just think Paul should forget about you when he comes over here and just sits in the living room. Every single time, he jumps to his feet and screams that he can't forget about you. The last time he came to me and asked what he could do to fix this." She sighed.

"I told him to just get you to trust him again, then go from there." Emily rubbed my shoulders. "What'd he tell you?" I asked, almost scared to hear the answer. "He said he didn't want to lose you before he ever actually had you. He told me how you were graduating early and going east for college in the spring." Emily explained. I nodded to confirm what he had told her. "He looked, he looked broken, Lee. Irreparably broken." She continued. "If you could just forgive him, I think that's all he wants right now." She told me.

"That's just it, Emily. I don't think I can. I forgave him once for hurting me. I don't think I could do it a second time, just to get hurt again." I replied, tears welling in the corners of my eyes. "All you have to do it try. I did it with Sam and he hasn't hurt me yet. That's what relationships are about, leaps of faith. How can you expect to find the right one, if you don't go through a heart break of two along with way?" She asked, holding my chin. I wiped my eyes. "Thank you Emily." I said, hugging her. "Seth was right about bringing me here to see you." I said, sniffling. "He always is. Now let's get back to making these cookies." She said, smiling. I nodded and by the end of the afternoon, we had five sheets full of cookies ready to be baked.

On Monday, I went to school a little happier. I opened my locker and saw a piece of paper fall out. I got what I needed, shut my locker, then read the note.

_You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen._

_I wish I could tell you who I am, but then there would be no point in me writing this._

_I love when you smile. Maybe if I see more, you'll hear from me again._

I smiled and slipped the paper in my pocket, walking to my first class.

*Pack*

"Hay, any idea who left Lee a note?" Jake asked, watching Lee read the note that he had seen fall from her locker once she opened it. "No idea." Paul replied, watching her as well.

*Lee*

The next day, I expected to see another note fall out of my locker. To some extent one did, but all it said was: _'Have to do better than that for another one.'_ I was a little disappointed that I couldn't hear what else my mystery writer had to say.

The next note didn't appear until almost a month later, nearly the end of January.

_I love how smart and confident you are. I see you every day in class and even now, am still amazed at how much you already know. I see you watching the girls that are always annoying you, and then ignoring them like they don't exist. I think you are one of the few girls in this school that is real and not completely fake._

_I see you talking to Seth everyday at lunch. And everyday I'm jealous because he seems to bring out the best in you. And I'm jealous because he gets to just talk to you everyday._

I slipped the note in my pocket and went to lunch, the entire time looking around for someone who could be the mystery person writing these notes.

Over the next few weeks, I finished filling in paperwork for Yale with my mom, sending it in and slowly packing what I slowly didn't need any more as the year came to a close. The third note didn't come until the day before Spring Break.

_I hope you liked the flower I left you for Valentine's Day._

_I hope to see you sometime at the beach over the break._

_I think you have finally gotten back to you old self before you came back from the dance depressed. Maybe you'll get another note if you stay your old self._

I threw the note in my backpack and walked out of the school, getting in Jake's Rabbit with him and Seth.

Over Spring Break I spent almost all day, every day at the beach, hoping to find someone watching me close enough to seem to be my mystery writer. In between that time, I ran around with Jake, Seth, and sometimes bumped into Paul, who I was getting to be more comfortable around again.

By the time May arrived, my room was packed and I was living out of the boxes for my clothes. The only thing that told you someone was still living here was that the sheets and comforter were still on the bed and my chargers for my laptop and phone were still plugged into the wall with my books spread around my desk. I got dressed for the day, not sure whether I was ready for this next week. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I had AP exams first thing in the morning. Every morning I found a note that said, _'Good luck, you'll do great, stop sweating about it.'_

Everyday, I went into the exam a little calmer than I would have, had I not had the notes every morning.


	4. Chapter 4

(CHAPTER 4)

After the AP exam week passed and it got to where we had to hand in text books, I was more excited about leaving for Yale. I had a lot to leave behind, but I knew I would come home to see my mom, so I felt a little better after that thought.

On the last day of school, I got the last note in my locker.

_I'm going to miss you like crazy. I've heard that you're leaving for Yale, congrats, once the week is over._

_I wish you wouldn't leave. I wouldn't have anything to look forward to when I wake up in the mornings._

_No matter how much I want you to stay, you should go live your life. I'll just hold onto the thought that you might come back some day._

_I love you, more than you could imagine._

I closed my locker and felt a tear slide down my cheek. I put the note in my pocket and looked down the hall one last time, knowing I wouldn't see it again for the rest of my life. I turned and walked out of the school, driving home to finish packing up my stuff to fly out in two days.

The day before I flew out, I opened the door and saw Jake, Jared, Embry, Seth, Paul, Sam, and a couple other guys I didn't recognize on the other side. "What are all you guys doing here?" I asked them. "We need to show you something." Seth said, holding his hand out to me. "Let me just grab a jacket." I told him. I jogged to my room, grabbed a hoodie I was saving for the plane trip and closed the door behind me as I followed them away from the house.

"What do you need to show me?" I asked Seth as he and the other guys led me into the woods. "Just, do freak out, okay Lee?" Seth asked, stopping me. I nodded, scared of what they were showing me and going to tell me. Sam nodded to all of them and they all disappeared except for Sam himself. "Lee, the tribe legends, you've heard them haven't you?" He asked. "Ya, Seth has told them to me after I first moved here." I replied. "They're true. The part about the Cold Ones is true too. That's why we phase, to protect the tribe from the vampires." He said before quickly disappearing. I watched as the trees each guy had hid behind, a giant wolf stepped out from behind it. I looked to where Sam had gone and saw giant black wolf walking towards me. It stopped a few feet away, scared I would run, but I didn't. So it moved closer until it was looking me in the eyes.

"Sam?" I asked in a near whisper. The wolf nodded its head. I looked to the others and saw a wolf barely smaller than the others. I looked into its eyes. "Seth." I looked around and could pinpoint Jake, Embry, and Jared. The others were ones that were most likely the guys I didn't know. I moved my eyes and immediately looked into Paul's eyes. I had no idea how I knew, I just did. Without a word, the wolf nodded its head, silently telling me I was thinking right.

Seth stepped closer to me as Sam stepped back. I held my hand up and Seth raised his head to touch my palm. I smiled as the feeling if his fur. I moved my hand and wrapped my arms around Seth's neck. "Thank you for trusting me with this. I'll guard it with my life." I whispered to him before backing away. They all disappeared and came back as normal. Jared pulling leaves out of his hair. "Why does this keep happening?" He whispered, grabbing at his head.

"She didn't even flinch Sam. I thinks that's a new record!" Embry said, grinning. "Definitely. The only other one who was cool with it was Seth. He loved it. The rest of us freaked when we first phased." Jake explained, looking at me when he said last part. "Well, some legends always have some sort of truth to them. This case is just a little bit more truth than expected." I said, causing all the guys to laugh.

Before I left to drive to Seattle, Seth slid my suitcase into the trunk, closing it once it was in. "Ready?" He asked. "Ya, let's go." I replied, climbing in the driver side of the door. My mom got in the passenger side and Jake and Seth got in the back. "I thought Paul was coming?" I asked Seth as I cranked the car. "He changed his mind." He replied sadly.

I pulled out of the driveway and began the long drive to Seattle. My flight wasn't until after six, but I wanted to be there before six so I wouldn't risk missing it, so we were leaving at ten in the morning. Once I took off, my mom was going to drive my car back home with Seth and Jake. I had shipped my boxes yesterday so I was hoping they would be there the day after I got to Yale.

*At the airport*

"I'm gonna miss you furballs so much." I told Seth, hugging him tightly, then hugging Jake. "We will too. We'll write everyday, or we'll have your mom send pictures." Seth said, smiling and laughing. I hugged my mom as they called me to board. "Okay. Got everything." I nodded. "Okay, be safe. Call if you need anything. I will fly you right home if you want, remember that okay?" My mom told me. "Yes, mom. I love you. Bye." I said, hugging each of them one last time before I walked to my gate, turning and waving before boarding the plane.

*Pack*

"Paul, I can't believe you let her go." Seth said when he was on patrol that night. "I had to let her live her life. She doesn't need to be tied to this place when she obviously wants to leave. Who am I to stop her?" Paul replied before blocking his thought the rest of the night. "Just leave it Seth. It was his choice. He'll have to live with it." Jared told the youngest as they ran beside each other. "I know, but from what I've heard, she's going to be in pain until she comes back." Seth said with a whine.

*Lee*

I landed in Connecticut and got a taxi to the campus, and got to my room and saw my boxes had beat me here! I immediately went to the box with my laptop, pulled the packing foam off of it and set it on the small desk in the dorm. I opened it and saw a piece of notebook paper.

I set the cord back in the box and opened the note, sitting on my new bed as I began reading.

_Lee,_

_I don't know how to tell you this. By now, you're probably at Yale and we've probably already told you about the legends. If not, well I'm screwed. But I'm sure we have, so I wanted to tell you that I was supposed to tell you one other thing that's part of the pack. I didn't tell you because, I was scared. I was scared you would regret staying and losing the chance of Yale. Being part of the pack, there's a thing that the fates allow us the ability of having. They let us imprint. Imprinting is looking into someone's eyes for the first time knowing you want to spend the rest of your life with them. Quil has already imprinted in Claire, she's four, I think. Right now all he is to her is a big brother and a protector. When she's older, she might want to be in a relationship with him. _

_That's an easy way of explaining it. Whoever a wolf imprints on, the wolf is whatever their imprint needs, a brother, friend, protector, a lover. Sam imprinted on Emily, Jared imprinted on Kim, and Quil has imprinted in Claire. This New Years, I imprinted too. I never realized what it was like to imprint until it happened to me. I finally realized why Sam wanted to die after hurting Emily, I finally realized why Jared and Quil wanted to spend all their time with Kim and Claire. I finally understood real love, not the fake love you give someone you have no real feelings for. I finally understood why Sam, Jared, and Quil would die before something happened to their imprints. And I finally felt the pain they felt when they couldn't be near their imprints._

_I've felt that pain every day since New Years, every night I would go to sleep, hoping I would wake up and the pain in my chest wouldn't be there, but it always was._

_I imprinted on you, Lee._

_Everyday ever since that night the night at the diner, I've wanted to stop pretending to be the dick I act like at school. I wanted to act like myself. I wanted you to forgive me that day at the beach because I wanted to have a chance of you wanting to come back to La Push after Yale. But it all went to hell when you saw me talking to Jessica at the dance. Lee, I never wanted to see her again. I told her that too, but you left before I could explain. When you hid behind Seth, it nearly killed me._

_The only thing that gave me hope you still felt something for me were the notes I left you. It was me. The secret is revealed. The guys don't even know it was me. I acted jealous for show, when I was wanting to brag to them how you were slowly, hopefully, beginning to trust me more, even if you didn't know it was me. Which I hope doesn't change it now that you know._

_The only reason I'm writing this and didn't tell it to you in person is because, I think partly because I'm a coward, but because I want you to live your life how you've always wanted it. I saw how happy you were when you first found out you were accepted to Yale, and I always remember that when I think of keeping you in La Push, but then I remember how you want to leave so badly. So I let you go. I'm just hoping that 'if you love something set it free,' and something about if it loves you it will return, I just hope that's true. I just hope that even though I've let you go, you might come back to La Push some day. _

_I love you Lee. Every day until I die._

_Paul_

The paper slipped from my fingers, my hands moving to my face as the tears spilled from my eyes like dams breaking. I couldn't believe all this time he let me be a bitch to him and hardly talk to him, just because he loved me and wanted me to live my life how I wanted. I jumped to my feet and ran to the admissions office halfway across the campus, not caring about the site the other students saw.

"Can I help you?" The woman asked. "I think there's been some mistake. I'm not attending classes here anymore." I told her. "Oh. What's your name dear?" She asked, looking at the computer screen. "LeeAnn Kennedy." I replied. "It says that your first class is Monday at nine AM. Almost a full scholarship. Are you sure there's been a mistake?" She asked, looking over her glasses at me. "Yes, I'm positive." I answered. "Okay, where will you be attending classes instead?" She asked, typing away on the keyboard. "Washington." I replied, smiling.

I got back to my dorm and had my boxes shipped back to La Push, immediately booking a flight back home. I sent my mom an email to tell Seth. 'Seattle Airport, Flight 34C, 4:24 PM. Get Paul there.'

I got to the airport, got through security and boarded my flight. "Heading home?" The woman next to me asked. I nodded. "How did you know?" I asked her. "Twenty years as a psychology professor has its perks." She replied, smiling. "You look like a girl in love. Meeting him in Seattle?" She asked. I nodded, looking out the window as we took off. "Ya, a very special guy." I said, a smile on my face the entire flight.

When my flight landed, I stood by the gate, looking for Seth and Paul. After almost ten minutes of looking, I gave up and headed for a seat. "Lee!" I spun around and saw Paul running towards me, Seth behind him. I ran to meet him, wrapping my arms around his neck as he held me to his chest. I knotted my fingers in his hair. I pulled my head away from his neck and pulled his head closer to mine, our lips meeting.

I silently understood everything he had felt, and I silently told him everything I felt now. When he pulled away, I looked him in the eyes, breathing deeply. "I love you too. Everyday." I said, smiling. He smiled and moved to kiss me again. When he pulled away, I heard clapping all around us. Flight attendants and captains on their way back to their plane and passengers were clapping, all smiling at us. "What about Yale?" He asked suddenly. I laughed and smiling. "Screw Yale. I can go anywhere for college, but there's only one place with you in it." I replied, causing him to chuckle and kiss me again.

_And that is how I fell in love with a guy I used to hate. After that we had rapid sex after getting married on the spot and I popped out a baby several months later. Kidding! Kidding! Funny, how you believed me though._

I went back to La Push with Paul, with the rest of the pack teasing Paul about me flying to Yale and not twelve hours later flying back, and took classes online through Salem State, one of my other two options, and worked full time at the diner with Sue. Once I was eighteen, I moved in with Paul and I walked with everyone at graduation, even though I had graduated. After graduation, Paul started a repair shop with Sam, Jake, and Jared between La Push and Forks. Since I got credits from my AP exams and taking the classes online, I managed to graduate two years after I started, right as Paul got the repair shop open and running, ready for customers.

The night we celebrated the shop opening, Paul proposed. We got married a year later right after my 21st birthday. Kim and Jared got married a few months later, and Emily had her and Sam's first baby in between the weddings. The night of the big bonfire to celebrate Sam and Emily's new baby and mine and Paul and Kim and Jared's weddings, I announced I was pregnant. Thus, causing Paul to fall off the log he was sitting on. Six months later, I had a healthy baby boy and girl. Now, Kim and Jared have a baby boy and Emily and Sam are waiting to give their son a baby sister.

Everyday, I look back at the day in the airport and know I made the right choice I coming back to La Push. And Paul and I say we love each other, everyday until we die.


End file.
